The People and Health Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to meet on 22 September 2025 to discuss public health arrangements after disaggregation, and to review the Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership annual report. The committee was also scheduled to discuss its work programme and executive forward plans.

Dorset Safeguarding Children's Partnership Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to review the Dorset Safeguarding Children's Partnership (DSCP) Annual Report 2024-2025. The report covers the period following the formal separation of the DSCP from the Pan-Dorset Safeguarding Children Partnership in August 2024. According to the report, this separation allowed Dorset to tailor its safeguarding arrangements to local needs and align with national reforms, including those outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) and the Stable Homes Built on Love review.

The report highlights several key achievements, including:

• The integration of education as a statutory partner through the formation of the Education Safeguarding Board.
• The completion of targeted multi-agency audits on intra-familial child sexual abuse and neglect, resulting in action plans to improve practice.
• Training and development efforts, with 84% of practitioners reporting high confidence and 95% demonstrating strong knowledge application.
• Amplifying the voice of children and families through co-production initiatives and feedback mechanisms.
• The inaugural DSCP conference, Finding Our Girls, which focused on violence against girls.

The report also details the DSCP's priorities for 2025-2027, which include:

• Violence experienced by children and young people
• Domestic abuse
• The impact of children's and parental mental health and wellbeing on children

The report states that the DSCP plans to conduct bi-monthly multi agency audits, launch a revised neglect strategy and toolkit, and host a conference on the impact of mental health on children.

The report concludes that the DSCP has demonstrated resilience, innovation, and commitment in its first year as a standalone partnership.

Public Health Disaggregation

The committee was scheduled to consider a report providing an update on changes to public health provision for the two unitary councils in Dorset following the disaggregation of Public Health Dorset, a shared service for BCP and Dorset Councils.

According to the report, a new Directorate for Public Health and Prevention has been set up within Dorset Council, while a public health and communities team has been established at BCP Council. A joint steering group from both councils managed the transition, with the new teams working from 1 April 2025.

The report notes that services have continued without disruption, performance remains strong, and the cost of change was within budget. An assurance review by the Regional Director of Public Health gave positive feedback and confirmed that Dorset Council is using its public health funding in line with statutory conditions.

The report suggests that the new public health team could support the council's priorities, including work on community partnerships, neighbourhood health, and improving local health and wellbeing.

The report asked the committee to note the successful changes and positive feedback, and to agree on future ways to oversee and review public health performance through the council's usual committees.

Committee Work Programme and Executive Forward Plans

The committee was scheduled to consider its work programme and the executive forward plans.

The People Health Scrutiny Committee Work Programme listed the topics that the committee intended to discuss at future meetings. These included:

• Performance dashboards
• Cost of living support
• Future care programme
• Budget and medium-term financial plan
• Housing strategy
• Integrated neighbourhood teams
• Better Care Fund
• Annual NHS Quality Accounts
• Educational Health and Care Plans

The Cabinet Forward Plan - October 2025 to January 2026 included the following items:

• Dorset Domestic Abuse Strategy 2025-2028
• Age Friendly Communities
• Empty Homes Strategy
• Dorset Council - Farms Estates Strategy
• Developer contribution funding for community facilities at Mampitts Green, Shaftesbury
• New Forest Mitigation Strategy
• Transformation Investment and Our Future Council Delivery update
• Get Dorset and BCP Working Plan
• Aspire Adoption Annual Report
• Council Tax for Care Leavers
• Children's Services - Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services progress update
• Children's Services Capital Programme
• Modification of Public Health Contracts over £500k: 0-19 Public Health Nursing and Sexual Health Services
• Council Plan Progress Report
• Quarter 2 financial management report
• Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) and budget strategy
• Dorset Care Record
• Report on Pipeline of Asset Disposals
• Dorset Tenancy Strategy
• Towards a new model of day opportunities transformation
• Partnership Principles and Statement of Reasonable Expectations
• Dorset Local Nature Recovery Strategy
• Dorset National Landscape Management
• Quarter 3 financial management report
• Dorset Council Housing Allocation Policy
• Financial Provision for the Voluntary Community Sector

The Shareholder Committee for Care Dorset Holdings Forward Plan - October 2025 to January 2026 included the following items:

• Dorset Council Delegated Decisions
• Dorset Council Organisational Update
• Care Dorset Update
• Care Dorset Annual Business Plan
• Review of Terms of Reference
• Care Dorset Annual Performance Report
• Annual report and Year end accounts

The Shareholder Committee for the Dorset Centre of Excellence Forward Plan - September 2025 to January 2 included the following items:

• Dorset Council Delegated Decisions
• Dorset Council Commissioner's Report
• DCoE - Report of the Chair of the Board
• Annual Performance Report
• Review of Terms of Reference